February 3, 2016

Of all the things Andy Grosso enjoyed about NYSID, it’s the people involved in the organization that he misses the most in retirement.

“My greatest joys have been my time in the field, visiting the people we serve, our members and customers,” he said. “I learned so much by listening to our external stakeholders and collaborators as we crafted value propositions driving job growth.”

Andy Grosso has retired from NYSID after 18 years, and we thank him for his numerous contributions and the countless lives he touched.

Andy retired from NYSID at the end of 2015 after an illustrious 18-year career, leaving a lasting impression upon an organization he loved with a passion.

He started at NYSID in January 1998 as vice president of marketing and sales, a position he would hold for the next 10 years. In this role, Andy was responsible for marketing, sales, customer service, marketing communications, forecasting sales goals, data analysis and reporting.

“Essentially, the marketing and sales team was charged with branding and positioning, jobs and revenue growth, customer and member relations/care, telling the NYSID story, creating sales forecasts, and reporting annual and monthly performance of sales and customer service goals,” he said.

From 2008 until his retirement, Andy served as vice president of business development, taking a long-term strategic view of NYSID’s branding positioning and assessing the dynamics of the marketplace to create more jobs for individuals with disabilities.

When Andy began at NYSID in 1998, jobs for New Yorkers with disabilities totaled fewer than 2,000. By 2015, more than 7,000 individuals worked on NYSID contracts, thanks in part to Andy’s vision and can-do approach.

Andy Grosso was instrumental in the opening of NYSID's Battle Buddy Centers, including Rockland Community College's location. (Photo courtesy of Collette Fournier, RCC)

“It was a time of burnishing and expanding our brand equity, leading to ‘Preferred Source Solutions,’ CREATE (Cultivating Resources for Employment with Assistive TEchnology), Veterans’ Summits, Battle Buddy Centers, NYSID WORKS! and franchising initiatives,” he said.

Andy helped NYSID make great progress in its qualitative metrics, including member and customer relations, industry preeminence within the State Use PRograms Association, Inc. (SUPRA), brand recognition, professionalism and character –– “in other words, who we are, and how we do what we do,” he said.

Andy also was known for his many “Grosso-isms,” whimsical words and phrases that prompted discussion and inspired others to think outside the box. These included, “Here’s a matzah ball for you…” (when he had a new idea or different approach), “I heard a rumor…” (when acknowledging a colleague’s accomplishment) and “We’re all gonna have to get rotator cuff surgery from patting ourselves on the back!” (when praising others for a job well done).

“Andy was the perfect sounding board, always knowing when a pep talk was needed and offering just the right words at the right time,” said Ron Romano, NYSID president & CEO. “On behalf of NYSID, I’d like to thank him for his numerous contributions and the countless lives he touched.”

Andy will continue to serve as a consultant for NYSID on its CREATE program and Veterans’ Initiatives.

And when he isn’t working, how will Andy pass the time in retirement?

“I’m looking forward to spending much more time with my family as it continues to grow, spending more time in my vegetable garden, serving on boards of emerging enterprises, and possibly doing some writing in the value delivery area of marketing,” he said.